If all goes well, the Dafne Schippers bicycle bridge in Utrecht should reopen on Monday, after a short closure for maintenance. I have a special affinity with this bridge: it opened on the day I started working in Leidsche Rijn, west of the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal, and it’s part of my favourite cycle route to work.

Who else use this bridge? With the usual caveats, data of the Fietstelweek can provide some insights. The charts below show, for each direction of traffic, at what time cyclists use the bridges across the canal.

There’s a morning peak in cyclists crossing the canal from Leidsche Rijn (west) to the city centre (east), and a peak in cyclists going the opposite direction around 5 pm. This suggests that the bridges are popular among commuters from Leidsche Rijn. That doesn’t really come as a surprise: if you cycle to Leidsche Rijn during the morning rush hour, you ride past huge numbers of cyclists going in the opposite direction.

The map below shows the routes of cyclists using the bridges. From top to bottom: Hogeweidebrug (or Yellow Bridge), Dafne Schippers bridge and De Meern bridge.

It appears that many cyclists use the bridges to go to the area around Central Station. Users of the De Meern and Dafne Schippers bridges tend to use nice routes that converge along the Leidseweg. Users of the Yellow Bridge use the not-so-nice route along Vleutenseweg, or the slightly better route along the railway track.

Research has shown that cyclists don’t always prefer the shortest route to their destination; the quality of the cycle tracks also plays a role.

Yet the map suggests that many cyclists opt for the shortest route, even if a nicer alternative is available. For example, few cyclists from the northern part of Leidsche Rijn seem to use the Dafne Schippersbrug, or the route along Keulsekade (the latter avoids long waits at traffic lights).

See also this analysis by DUIC, which shows that the bridge is not only popular among cyclists, but also among runners, which is fitting given the name of the bridge.

[This is a translation of an article from 2016] - I think the Joep bicycle - and the women’s version Ari - were launched in 2008. Joep Salden, owner of a bicycle shop in Utrecht, designed a minimalistic, functional bicycle, without any unnecessary accessories. The only concession was a bicycle bell. «You’ll need one; on this bicycle you’ll overtake anyone», Salden said when I bought my greyish green Joep in 2009.

I’m happy with my Joep and I’m not the only one: Utrecht alderman Lot van Hooijdonk owns one too. TestKees, the bicycle tester of cyclists’ organisation Fietsersbond, tested a number of fast city bicycles in 2009. His conclusion at the time:

Joep and Ari mainly stand out because of the minimalistic assemblage and the beautiful classic look. The frame and the parts go well together. (…) It’s clearly faster than the VanMoof and much faster than the luxurious city bicycles with gear hub and suspension that have been so popular in the Netherlands for years.

For Salden, the fact that his bicycles look good came second. «I appreciate that people are enthousiastic about how it looks, but for me the most important thing is for them to ride off thinking: that’s a smooth ride!», he said in an interview. The bicycle was supposed to last at least ten years.

Imitation

Coincidence or imitation: by now, there are various bicycles on the market with designs and colours reminiscent of Salden’s bicycles. Take the citybike, since rebranded courier bike, introduced by the Hema department store in 2011. On the face of it, they look a lot like the Joep and Ari - even though the execution is inferior, with wide aluminium tubes and a comfort saddle.

In Amsterdam, I was once addressed by the owners of a bicycle shop at the Weesperplein. They said my Joep was a beautiful bicycle, but also an imitation of the Achielle bicycles they sold. But I don’t think it’s true Salden has imitated Achielle. That said, Achielle has beautiful Sam and Saar bicycles that show similarities to the Joep and Ari.[1]

Interestingly, Salden had his frames built in Belgium. Achielle is also based in Belgium, and has its origins in a family business of frame builders. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Joep frames used to be built by Achielle.

[Update: on Twitter, Achielle has since stated that they used to build the Joep bicycles and that the frames are the same as those of the Sam and Saar.]

Someone else once said my Joep is reminiscent of the VanMoof bicycle produced in Amsterdam, but I have to disagree. Tastes differ, but I think the Joep is restrained and elegant, whereas the VanMoof is neither.

Out of business

Currently, I use my Joep in Utrecht, where I work. It isn’t as shiny anymore as when I bought it, but it’s still a beautiful bicycle. What’s more, it still runs very smoothly, even though it has seen little maintenance.

Meanwhile, I needed a new bicyle in Amsterdam. I reckoned I’d just buy another Joep. But the website of Salden’s bicycle shop, Het Fietspad, was no longer online and its phone number had been disconnected.

At the location of Het Fietspad, there’s now another bicycle shop, Cycleworks, with beautiful old road bicycles hanging from the wall. They told me that Salden is out of business for good. In fact, he has been for a while, as I found out later.[2] Alas!

Meanwhile, I’ve placed an order for a shiny black Achielle Sam with path racer handlebars. Also quite nice.

Especially the version with the lightly bent Miel handlebars. The oldest references to the Sam and Saar I could find on Google are from 2010 - that’s why I don’t think Salden imitated them. ↩

According to the Chamber of Commerce, Het Fietspad went out of business on 14 January 2015. ↩